I am not a bracelet wearing person typically. This has basically always been the case for me. Really jewelry in general has not always been my thing, though recently that has changed. I saw the Bellabeat Leaf first in a Facebook advertisement. It plagued me, as most ads do. I saw it everywhere. Eventually I decided to Google research and watch some videos of reviews of the item. I oogled over the Instagram pictures of people styling this piece in many ways. I researched for a while until I decided I needed to obtain one.

The Bellabeat Leaf is an activity tracker that doubles as a fashion accessory. It is marketed towards the elegant, feminine, but active woman who does not find function in typical activity trackers that tend to resemble ankle monitoring devices a la Lindsey Lohan. A real life story: I once asked a woman what was on her ankle. It was her Fit-Bit. She did not like wearing it as a bracelet, and decided to attach it to her leg. She had no idea it looked like she was on a house arrest sentence that allowed her 10 square miles wiggle room. I wish I could go back and suggest something like the Leaf that does not portray her as a van-driving soccer mom who also is being monitored by the authorities.

What really got me for this item is the features. It tracks sleep, steps, time spent actively moving, and monthly cycles. You can enter different activities if the Leaf does not pick it up, such as swimming (this is not waterproof!). You can also adjust your sleep times and add naps if needed! It is capable of gentle reminders in the form of vibrations you can set like alarms through the app. All of these features are controlled by the app on your phone, as there is no screen! *gasp* I know guys, something without a screen! I personally like this. It is less distracting to wear and we do not need everything to be a screen, sometimes it is okay to not.

I have tested this item on its miles setting. I have been on a few hikes or walks that have milemarkers-the Leaf kept up within .05 of an error margin. I have to say, the sleep function is not always accurate. Though this may be my fault, as I have a habit of sitting in bed for a little (or a lot) and my Leaf usually assumes I am asleep. The monthly cycle setting is accurate to a tee because you enter the information. You tell it the day you start and end your period, and it will log it, predict it next month, and tell you your ovulation prediction.

The Leaf attracted me initially because of how versatile it is as far as wearing. You may clip it to your shirt or pants, wear it as a necklace, or wear it as a bracelet. When I originally dreamed about this item, I saw myself clipping it most often. Necklace was also a good option. After obtaining the Leaf, I most often wear it as a necklace. I also use it as a bracelet often. I do not typically clip it because I think it is so simplistic and beautiful that I want to display it. I can wear it dressy, I can wear it casually. I found a store on Etsy that makes items specifically for the Leaf, her bracelet options are gorgeous and give you so many more options to wear it as a jewelry piece. Bellabeat came out recently for mala options where you can clip in your Leaf to the mala. They are gorgeous, but the first batch sold out immediately and were also above a price I would personally want to spend on one necklace option right now.

What I don’t do: wear it to yoga often. It usually does not pick up yoga as an “activity”. You can manually enter it, which is does not annoy me. Wearing necklaces or bracelets in yoga distract me usually. I want to focus on my movements more often than my Leaf hitting me in the face in down dog or sliding around when I am flowing.

Do you use activity trackers? Do you like the screens and technology? Do you have a Leaf or have questions about the Leaf? Contact me on Instagram @growbythesun and let’s chat.

Over the last month my internal mantra has been “allow time.” Some of you who follow my social media have probably seen some of these posts I have made about allowing time and space in your practice. To me this means many things, but this month it has been glaringly obvious to me how integral it is to allow time.

Allow yourself time to breathe. Now, as a yogi, this could mean a meditative breath practice. Focusing your whole self for a set amount of time daily or weekly to practice the breath. I do this in a few ways. Hint: Try these in bound angle pose for a more grounded feel.

1.Start by inhaling 5 counts, exhaling 5 counts, holding the breath for 2 counts in between inhales and exhales. I will sometimes start here and see how many counts I can hold or extend the breath. This usually helps me center and ground myself, sometimes great before a big test or bedtime.

2.Sitting in an easy seat pose, place your left thumb over your right nostril. Breathe in for 5 counts, hold that breath for 3 counts, and then exhale for 5 counts. Once you go through 5 rounds of this, place your hand back on your knee and take a few clearing breaths. Then repeat with your right thumb over your left nostril.

3.Focusing on the exaggerated rise and fall of your chest and belly. Whatever breath you choose, fast or slow, focus on how it feels to expand and contract your physical body. Putting hands on these areas, or visually watching these movements allow us to see that breath. Watching the breath, realizing the exaggeration and capabilities will allow you to believe in the strength.

Allow yourself time to be quiet. Do you ever feel like you come home and your cheeks hurt from talking or interacting all day? This is your physical body asking for quiet time. You have had enough human time, it is time to internalize and absorb the benefits of social time and use this growth for your quiet time. To me, as an introvert, this comes easy to me. I will sit at home and listen to Youtube videos that engage my mind without me having to directly participate.

Allow yourself time to grieve. You do not need to have experienced great loss for this. To me, I consider this the loss of something meaningful for me. Grief takes shape in many ways and often experiencing the grief a few times over time can be cathartic. I will occasionally allow an amount of grief that I visualize as a size. I will visualize this as the size of an orange, sometimes larger depending on how much space I need to grieve. Visualizing these emotions as items allow control over how much that feeling takes up inside. I will grieve the loss of an idea, a time in life, or any negative energy that enters my space. I will sometimes allow time to grieve something then determine that grief to be filled, that space no longer there. Sometimes I will revisit the grief and allow myself to feel it, then cast it away until it is appropriate to visit this again. Last month, this grief manifested itself and I allowed it. I still allow it. Sometimes every day I allow myself a small, lemon-sized amount of grief. And I feel okay with it, I have welcomed it for those times. I will continue to grieve, and I allow myself whatever amount necessary to cleanse it. And be careful yogis, only after you decide what is worth grieving should you allow it a weight such as a lemon or a melon. If it is worth it, feel it- then use it as fuel just as our bodies do.

Sometimes these allowances are going to interfere with other experiences. Occasionally it is okay to take 15 minutes out of your study time to breathe, or be quiet or grieve. It may make you a more productive or clear minded person for the rest of your day. It may prepare you to face tomorrow stronger than you feel in the present. It may allow you to flow more free in your vinyasa, or tackle your next adventure. Please, allow yourself whatever you need. Take what you need today, and leave what you do not.

6. Stuff mushrooms with spinach mixture then top with tofu ricotta on top. Then add sliced black olives and sundried tomatoes to appear like bloodshot eyes, then sprinkle smoked paprika on top on mushrooms.

7. Bake on 350 for approximately 20 minutes or until mushrooms are cooked

This weeks Yogis of Karma features Kyri, photo in front of the new Eric Mancini Mural, and she shares his reflections on his own practice and some words of encouragement for those who are just now rolling out their mat.

Prior to yoga all of my physical activity focused on strength first. Technique and flexibility were always afterthoughts when it came to climbing, calisthenics, and hand balancing. Between sitting eight or more hours a day for work as a software engineer and my strength training, I found myself with chronic pain. My progress was hindered by my reluctance to be honest with what my mind and body needed. Until a friend invited me to my first yoga class.

My journey with Karma Yoga began over the summer on a scorching Sunday morning. I was so anxious about being a beginner that I nearly didn&#39;t show up. But, like my fellow yogis, I laid out my mat, pushed through the heat, and was embraced by positive energy. Now I can't imagine my life without yoga.

The Karma community is unlike anything I've been involved in before. The wonderful people and the exciting experiences we create together makes this community feel like family. It's an immense undertaking to organize these events, and I am grateful for all the work Karma does to build a real community. From outdoor meditations to drum circles to acroyoga jams to blacklight yoga, there is always a chance to try something new.

While yoga has certainly improved my flexibility and nearly eliminated my pain, it's more than just physical. The world we live in is ripe with hate, chaos, and isolation. Yoga is journey where we move against the grain to find love, peace, and community. We foster real human connections. We challenge ourselves to live mindfully so we can create lasting memories together.

Some advice for potential and active yogis: don't let being a beginner frighten you. Don't compare your practice to anyone else's it's your journey. Be patient with your mind and body, don't get discouraged, and always remember to breath. Take the discipline and the love you develop on the mat and share it with everyone.

What to do:1.Press tofu between paper towels and add pressure with books or pans till excess water has released into paper towels2.Place tofu into bowl and mash using a fork till consistency is equivalent to scramble eggs 3. Add oil to a pan over medium heat and add tofu, turmeric, paprika, garlic, kale, mushrooms, salt and pepper4.Stir till seasoning is even and allow tofu to cook for about 5-7 minutes 5. Plate hash and add tofu scramble on top, add sirracha and avocado if desired

My favorite way to prepare enough to eat for breakfast over the next few days, leftovers let the seasoning settle and allow them take on the flavor more. It’s the perfect thing to get your day going.

Melissa and Michele are identical twin sisters that are huge foodies and strive for a healthy and happy life through nurturing themselves and anyone willing to let them cook them a meal. They found the Karma Yoga community in spring 2016 as a way to relieve stress from their busy lives and soon fell in love with the good vibe tribe. Both are vegan by choice and gluten free by intolerance. Melissa is at TWU getting her bachelor’s degree in nutrition emphasis in dietetics and a minor in health studies. Before nutrition, Melissa did culinary arts, where she found her love for food. Melissa loves sunflowers and any outdoor activity from hiking to kayaking. Michele is at TWU getting her degree in Photography and Women/Gender studies. Michele is into the documentary scene and non-profit activist work to better the world. Michele also does fine art work for galleries and publications around the country. Together they work to create mouth-watering recipes to nourish their bodies and those around them.

If you’ve lived in Denton for a long time, maybe some of your earliest memories include having a birthday party at Spinning Wheels on Elm Street. As you grew older, you probably knew nearly everyone else your age because there was only one other high school. On the weekends, you would grab a Jones Soda from Jupiter House and hang out on the courthouse lawn, because there wasn’t a movie theater around yet. You might’ve avoided going grocery shopping with your parents, otherwise you would’ve run into your teachers at the only Kroger on University. And sometimes, maybe you sorta miss going to McKenna Park to watch the sun set over what was once a vast cow pasture, but is now Rayzor Ranch.

Growing up, Denton was not only my hometown, but also my security blanket. As a major introvert, I felt right at home in the predictability that came with growing up in such a tiny place. If you knew me in high school, then you knew I was a Type A wallflower and the routine queen. I always followed the rules, and never strayed too far away from my comfort zone. I was pretty adamant about my straightedgedness.

So, when I moved to Austin to go to college, I was in for a bit of a culture shock, even though I was less than 300 miles away. The music capitol of the world, Austin was a city where culture and diversity were rampantly thriving. There were limitless places to go, things to try, and so many people to make friends with! It was the perfect opportunity to create a new persona, find myself, and develop into a young adult. But, at first, I felt inhibited. I was too shy. I had grown accustomed to the smallness where I had come from, and didn’t know how to break out of my shell. I hadn’t developed confidence or boldness within my routines back home.

Thankfully, I found a place where self-exploration was possible. With yoga, it was okay to take baby steps. You didn’t have to throw yourself out there; instead, you could feel around for what felt right before you experienced something completely foreign to you. Going through my practice, I learned that it’s okay to be vulnerable and step out of complacency. You could become familiar in a posture, but you didn’t have to stay there. Instead, you follow your subconscious lead, growing and developing into the person you were meant to be. You become exposed, in a safe way. Yoga helped me learn to be more sure of myself, leading to the opportunity to try new things and set myself in situations where I couldn’t be a know-it-all. I learned not to take myself so seriously. I discovered that I really didn’t need to reinvent myself; I could stay rooted in my traditions yet still rise up and expand outward to a different direction. Yoga gave me the ability to feel true to myself and explore new places simultaneously.

When I moved back to Denton for graduate school, I realized that Denton wasn’t the quiet little college town that I remembered. Denton was going through it’s own yoga practice - it’s own revival. Bars and restaurants had opened up on the square, a different mural popped up every week, and the music scene was raging like never before! Fry street got some apartments, inviting more students downtown, and Denton High School even won a football game. AND we got a Target! Even now, our community is developing a personality that strays away from the ordinary by taking risks and seeing what works for us. Without a doubt, Karma Yoga Denton has added to the uniqueness of Denton and I’m so grateful for that!

Yoga is like our home, in a way. Even as our practice changes, we can still find remnants of our old selves there. We can visit what feels familiar and then continue to go even further, welcoming the transformation. We can decide our practice will be like coming back to the sleepy parts within us and choose to feel nostalgic. We can sleep in our little twin beds and let our mom cook our favorite meal, or we can awaken and explore. We can make ourselves feel a little uncomfortable for the sake of experiencing all the newness around us. Yoga is where we can make friends. People join us all the time, adding to the diversity and energy that expands our surroundings. We are continually changing like the environment around us. Who knows what it will be like in the future? It’s up to us to keep the flow going!

I was browsing the interwebs one day and an advertisement caught my eye. I had been playing around with the idea of purchasing my first mala, but I was also weighing the pros and cons. Cost also played a factor, which usually seems like someone is trying to scam fellow yogis out of $150 for a beaded necklace. This is a real thing guys, don’t fall for it. The picture was of a beautiful light wood and marbled blue beaded mala and a yoga themed subscription service. And I was like, what the what? This exists? Sign me up guys! I hunted around for a coupon code, checked for potential online scams and went for it. Guys, always check for online scams on this stuff-trust me a little google search is worth it.

Yogi Surprise has two box options: lifestyle or jewelry. I chose jewelry because that mala was calling my name (and it was the cheaper box). I ordered pretty early so I had a good amount of wait time before my box came. In that time, the interwebs plagued me with my decision. My ads were suddenly all yoga subscription boxes and pictures of that particular beautiful mala that attracted me in the first place. Eventually I got the confirmation my box had shipped and checked the mail like, every day even though the tracking service seemed accurate. But, just in case right? You’ve done this too, I know it!

Anyways, this box was everything. Beautiful and great quality, and I enjoyed the products it came with. September’s box came with a package of chocolate mint cookies that were gluten free! I seemed to forget that it came with chocolate and I was surprised by the sweet snack. I am typically not a bracelet fan, other than my Bellabeat Leaf activity tracker, but the bracelet that came with this box has gotten more than a few uses! It’s a white bead (howlite? I don’t know) and a redder colored bead. What I like about this bracelet is it is adjustable. I really do not like tight bracelets-my wrists do not need suffocating hugs so this one surprised me. The mala is gorgeous, the bead weight is perfect, the tassel is full and the color compliments the beads well. The wood is light but looks good with the different colored ocean colored blue beads. I have yet to meditate with it but I feel it may be a good piece to have around.

Have you ever tried a yoga subscription box? Did you like it or think it was cheesy? Would you like to read a review on the lifestyle box? Also, mala advice! Do you have one and what do you think? Send your thoughts to me on Instagram @growbythesun and we can chat! Namaste yogis!

This weeks installment brings us back to half moon pose. It has been popping up in a lot of our classes recently, and Alana demonstrates for us in front of the mural at the Discover Denton Visitors Center. Alana is also one of our blog contributors! Go check out her post on our blog!

We will begin in Warrior 2 pose, and in this case our right foot is forward. For those new to Vira 2, make sure you root down through the soles of the feet, pressing through the outsides, this will also allow you to more evenly disperse your weight since you are mindfully sending energy to the knife edge side of the back foot. Hug the right knee out, while simultaneously drawing the outside of the right thigh in. Moving into Side Angle, let the lower body stay the exact same and just worry about moving the torso as you extend the right fingertips to the ground letting the right elbow press gently into the high to help open the right hip. Reach up through the left fingertips, keeping the pinky finger internally rotated. Dropping the hips to be level, rotate the chest up to the sky, lifting from heart center.

Bring the right fingertips to the ground in front of and just to the right of the front foot. Stacking the shoulders and the hips, launch off from your left foot. Knit in the ribs and remember to keep the core engaged using your Uddiyana bhanda or core lock. Flex the left foot, peeling the toes back to the shin, and reach through the heel. You can also use a block under the right hand to help bring the ground closer to you and get a better stretch in the right side body, or even doing this pose against a wall to help with balance.

To add another level to the pose and get a great quad stretch, bend the left knee and reach for the foot with the right hand. You can draw the heel into the glute or press the top of the foot in the hand for an additional shoulder stretch as the gaze falls to the right finger tips. Think lightness and be aware of your body's alignment, and you will soar into your Half Moon! Have fun yogis!